Stages of perimenopause: early vs. late (STRAW+10)

The stages of perimenopause

This is not medical advice — it is general information based on what you searched for that may help.

General information based on published sources and the symptoms you searched for. This isn't medical or legal advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Please consult a doctor about your own symptoms. If your symptoms are severe or sudden, seek urgent care.

Clinicians and researchers use a framework called STRAW+10 (Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop) to describe where someone is in the menopause transition, based on changes in menstrual bleeding. It's a useful map for understanding why your experience might be different from a friend's, even at a similar age.

The two stages of perimenopause

Stage	What defines it	Typical duration
Early menopausal transition	A persistent difference of 7 days or more in the length of consecutive cycles, recurring within 10 cycles	Variable; can last several years
Late menopausal transition	At least one interval of 60 days or more without a period	1 to 3 years on average
Menopause	Confirmed 12 months after the final period	A single point in time, not a stage

In practice, irregular periods — cycles that are shorter, longer, or less predictable than before — are usually the first sign that early transition has begun. See how long does perimenopause last for how these stages add up over time, and perimenopause vs. menopause for how the whole timeline fits together.

When the staging framework doesn't apply

STRAW+10 is built entirely on menstrual bleeding patterns, so it doesn't work for everyone:

After a hysterectomy, there's no bleeding pattern left to track, so staging relies on symptoms (and sometimes hormone testing) instead.
Using hormonal contraception (the pill, hormonal IUD, implant) changes or masks your natural bleeding pattern, making cycle-based staging unreliable.
Under age 40, a different diagnostic pathway applies — see our premature ovarian insufficiency guide.

Check where you are

Our interactive perimenopause stage guide walks through your cycle pattern and flags when one of the exceptions above applies, so it can route you to the right guidance instead of a cycle-based estimate that wouldn't fit your situation.

Based on my cycle pattern, does this look like early or late transition, or does one of the exceptions (hysterectomy, hormonal contraception, age under 40) apply to me?
What symptoms are most likely to show up or worsen as I move from one stage to the next?

Where are you right now?

Still tracking

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Questions people ask

What's the difference between early and late perimenopause?

In early perimenopause, cycle lengths vary by 7 or more days from one cycle to the next, but periods still happen regularly enough to track that pattern. In late perimenopause, you go 60 days or more without a period at least once — this stage lasts 1 to 3 years on average and often comes with more noticeable symptoms.

Does STRAW+10 staging work for everyone?

No. It's based entirely on menstrual bleeding patterns, so it doesn't apply if you've had a hysterectomy or are using hormonal contraception that changes your bleeding pattern. In those situations, staging relies on symptoms and sometimes blood tests instead.